Foley Area Insight

We had lunch at Grumpy’s today, and oh, my! We sampled the chicken salad bites from the appetizer menu and they were wonderful. The chicken salad was perfect and served on crunchy french bread with candied pecans. The fried green tomato BLT, their specialty, was yummy. The tomatoes were lightly battered, and it’s served on a sweet bun. We’ll be back to try their breakfast menu - it looks fantastic!

Grumpy’s is open Monday - Saturday, 7:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m, for breakfast and lunch. It’s located at 220 West Laurel Avenue in downtown Foley. If you haven’t tried it yet, do yourself a favor, and go! You won’t be sorry.

BB's Health Food Store is located in Foley. I was so excited when I heard they were opening up! They have an amazing cafe that offers vegan and vegetarian options. They also have fresh juices and smoothies. The owner is very knowledgeable about health and the products in her store. I learn something new every time I visit!

Foley is just up the street from Gulf Shores. You can be there in a few minutes. Foley has everything you would need, from completing a DIY project to finding someone to do it for you. The people at the supply stores are very helpful.

Each year Foley host the Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival. I have always dreamed of "flying" in a hot air balloon. This year I was fortunate to get the opportunity to "fly"! And the cherry on top was that I had the privilege of riding in the RE/MAX Balloon! The flight was about an hour long and we floated across Foley. What a great experience!

I pride myself on being a thrifty shopper. Foley is a piece of Heaven for me. The Outlets have much to offer as well as the other stores in the same area. I have to limit myself, otherwise I would get addicted to the shopping. Happy shopping to all you folks who like to find a bargain!

Foley host the Annual Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival May 4th and 5th 2018! The most spectacular part of the event is the "Balloon Glow" each night. The festival grounds are open from 2:00 until 10:00 p.m. The festival will feature many famous hot air balloons, one being the RE/MAX balloon which has been the company's logo for 45 years.

New coffee shop in town? I'm there! The Drowsy Poet is located perfectly in historic, downtown Foley. I love the relaxing, charm of the place - both inside and out. I ordered the nitro brew with a sweet potato + kale salad.... absolutely delicious! I highly recommend stopping by and checking out Foley's newest coffee shop, then take a stroll over to the park!

Located in downtown Foley, Heritage Park is beautifully landscaped and the host of many different festivals. The park has a large band-sized gazebo, the Model Train Exhibit, and the picturesque Centennial Plaza. It is the perfect venue for Foley’s many outdoor events such as Art In The Park, Christmas In The Park, and Music And A Movie In The Park. With the addition of Foley’s first over walk across HWY 59 to the park, parking is no issue. Heritage Park is open from daylight to dusk and it is available for small ceremonies and event photos.

The Wahlburger brothers are almost as well known for their delicious hamburgers as they are for their acting abilities and they haven chosen Alabama for one of their latest investments. The Wahlburger restaurant franchise has opened their second largest restaurant inside Foley’s OWA Amusement Park. The popular burger joint cooks up a variety of mouth-watering hamburgers topped with their top-secret “Wahl sauce”. On the menu, you will also find salads, sandwiches, and savory side dishes like tator tots and macaroni and cheese. For adult beverages, Wahlburgers offers a full-service bar with specialty spiked frappes. So what are you waiting for? Drop by for a burger and a drink!

Every Christmas season I like to drive down George Younce Road in Foley to view the Christmas lights. Sometimes there are cars filled with those young, and those young at heart lined up to view the displays. The lights are amazing!

A rare snowfall in South Alabama had everyone thinking of a White Christmas! Imagine their surprise when residents woke up to see the local landscape covered in a blanket of snow. Snow is very rare this far south. The warm southern winds coming from the Gulf of Mexico usually keep the winters mild, making this area a favorite destination for snowbirds. (Snowbirds are retirees who like to winter in the South.) Children and pets were delighted by the unusual event and could be seen frolicking in the snow and tossing snowballs. Then, true to form in South Alabama, the sun and temperatures rose making the snow disappear as quickly as it had arrived.

I loved walking around the Christmas Village in downtown Foley. The Christmas lights are beautiful. You have to take a look inside the Foley Police Department village building to see that The Grinch has been jailed!

I loved watching everyone come out for our local Veterans at the Veterans Day Parade in Foley. The Foley Lions band sounded great, and the little children lining the streets enjoyed catching the candy being thrown. A great time was had by all.

The Park at Owa in Foley will be open on July 21st! One of the most exciting developments the small town has ever seen, the amusement park will offer 21 different rides, plus an assortment of food and drink carts. The Kiddie Rides section of the park is devoted to riders under 36” tall that still want the independence of riding by themselves. Leapfrog lets you bounce along atop a fleet of colorfully fun frogs, and Flying Aces sends you spinning and dipping across the sky in a classic bi-plane. For families with small children that still want to enjoy the rides together, the Family Friendly Rides section offers classics like Tea Time; giant, spinning tea cups, and Flutter By which lets you float and twirl through the air on the wings of a giant butterfly. The park also includes Thrill Rides that are sure to satisfy even the most ardent adrenaline junkie. Rollin’ Thunder, the park’s largest roller coaster, includes big drops, loops, twists, and hairpin turns, sure to leave you on the edge of your seat. Restaurants and shops are slated to open in September, most notably Wahlburger’s. This will be the first location the chain has opened in Alabama and is expected to be one of the largest. Tickets are on sale now, available online or at the gate.

The Bleus Burger truck delivers out of this world made to order gourmet hamburgers. No asking where the beef is in these burgers! They are made from Angus, Brisket, Chuck, Short Rib and chargrilled to perfection. This one of a kind food truck can be seen all along Alabama’s coastal cities. The Bleus Burgers menu also offers hand-cut golden french fries, specialty tacos, and handcrafted milkshakes. Best of all, they will come to you! You can book the Bleus Burger truck for an event or to find out specific dates and locations, be sure to check out their calendar on bleusburger.com. You don’t want to miss out on this one!

When you come to Lambert's Cafe, you can leave your manners at the door. Bibs are advised, however, as there's a good chance you'll end up with food in your lap. Thrown rolls to be exact. Hurled at you from across the room, these down-home bread delicacies are part of an enticing menu that includes golden fried chicken, roast beef, and chicken and dumplings as well as other traditional Southern cuisine.

Although Lambert's is world famous, it always feels like a locally owned establishment here in Foley. Just eight miles from the beach, Lambert's is a mainstay of Foley dining and culture. One of the features of Lambert's Cafe that I personally love the best is that the servers bring various edibles around to your table like clockwork without additional charge. You never know what they'll dump on your plate next. It could be collard greens, fried okra, or a batch of mac 'n' cheese. Next time you're in town, make room in your schedule and your belly for a Lambert's feast.

Look out Southern Alabama! Here comes OWA, a recreational multiplex that has the whole city of Foley buzzing. This family-friendly entertainment destination will have just about everything to suit all interests and age groups. The OWA project was started back in 2012 and is set to open its doors in the Spring of 2017.

From what we know so far, OWA will contain a massive sports complex, several restaurants, popular retail outlets and entertainment options that range from live performances to theaters. OWA was built to accommodate both the 43% population growth across Baldwin County as well as booming tourism that draws about 6.2 million visitors to the Foley area each year. It's an excellent opportunity to create more jobs as well as generate more revenue to continue stimulating Foley's already strong economy. My family and I can't wait until it opens. We'll be there opening day. Come join us!

A new business has opened in Foley, and you’ll want to check it out. Gateway Market and Grille, located at 22394 Miflin Rd./CR 20, Building 3, Suite 307, is open seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with soup of the day and salad always available. We were there for lunch and enjoyed an outstanding hamburger, meatball sandwich, and carrot cake for dessert. All were excellent. The market stocks all of the basics, plus an assortment of specialty and gourmet items.

Locally made soaps and candles are available, along with pet supplies. We browsed the meat market while we waited. Hormone-free, antibiotic-free beef and chicken looked appetizing, and they offer a wide range of deli meats and cheeses. There is also a liquor store with wine, spirits, and cigars, and a business center with a public computer, copy machine, fax, postage, and an on-staff Notary Public. You can contact Gateway Market and Grill at (251) 987-1040, or visit them on the web at http://gatewayfreshmarket.com. Enjoy!

You can see some heavy duty grilling as City Hope Church served up some serious all-American cuisine with hot dogs and chips in honor of Fourth of July 2016! City Hope Church is a non-denominational church with locations in Malbis, Mobile, Foley, and Bay Minette. City Hope recently sponsored a Car Care Clinic for single moms, widows and wives of deployed soldiers or disabled veterans. It also supports a variety of charities local and abroad. Check out City Hope’s multiple service times including Saturday evenings on their website https://cityhope.cc.

Little Wolf Creek is a tributary into Wolf Creek. Even the smallest creek offers a beautiful setting for outdoor fun. I hope you enjoy seeing this one, a perfect quiet spot to stop and relax. This jewel is just one of the many quiet waterfront spots away from the beach.

Clients ask me regularly where to go to get the best margarita in town. I don't go out often so my experience is somewhat limited, but in my opinion the best margarita anywhere around is a "Top Shelf" at Vallarta in Foley. This past weekend I met friends at Vallarta for a snack and a drink. The food at Vallarta is good but the margarita at Vallarta gets a "two thumbs up" from me! I always order a Top Shelf medium, which you can view in the video below. If you decide to give one a try, let me know what you thought!

The Poarch Band of Creek Indians has taken full control of the planned $200 million Blue Collar Country entertainment complex in Foley.

"We have committed to the city and to the state that we are going to finish this project and actually make this project a reality," Tim Martin, president of the tribe's Creek Indian Enterprises Development Authority, said Friday.

"We're going to provide family-friendly destination entertainment."

Plans for the project on more than 500 acres at the intersection of the Foley Beach Express and Baldwin County 20 have been in the works for three years, but many doubted it would ever come to fruition

Burton Property Group is pleased to announce the ground breaking of Phase II of Foley Square. Ross Dress for Less, the nation’s largest off-price apparel and fashion chain, will be the newest addition to the development located at the corner of Pride Drive and Hwy 59 in Foley, AL. Ross is slated to open in Spring 2016. Foley Square is a 94,250 square foot shopping center, anchored by Academy Sports + Outdoors, which opened this past May.

Foley, AL

Don't Miss Grumpy's Eats and Sweets

We had lunch at Grumpy’s today, and oh, my! We sampled the chicken salad bites from the appetizer menu and they were wonderful. The chicken salad was perfect and served on crunchy french bread with candied pecans. The fried green tomato BLT, their specialty, was yummy. The tomatoes were lightly battered, and it’s served on a sweet bun. We’ll be back to try their breakfast menu - it looks fantastic!

Grumpy’s is open Monday - Saturday, 7:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m, for breakfast and lunch. It’s located at 220 West Laurel Avenue in downtown Foley. If you haven’t tried it yet, do yourself a favor, and go! You won’t be sorry.